The government has urged all of us to stay vigilant and not celebrate the declining cases with euphoriaJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government continues to intensify control and supervision in handling the COVID-19 pandemic despite a drastic 25-percent decline in the number of active cases in the past week.
"The number of active cases, as of October 10, reached 24,430, down 8,446 cases in a week, or 25 percent," Minister of Communications and Informatics Johnny G. Plate noted in a press statement on Wednesday.
In comparison with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia's active cases of COVID-19 are among the lowest. Based on the COVID-19 Recovery Index Indonesia released by NIKKEI, Indonesia's ranking is better than Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
However, the government will continue to monitor developments regarding the number of COVID-19 cases in each region and increase vaccination coverage. The government also continues to evaluate the implementation of leveled Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in various regions in Indonesia every week, Minister Plate noted.
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"The government has urged all of us to stay vigilant and not celebrate the declining cases with euphoria," he reminded.
He also ensured that the government was striving to keep cases as low as possible for a long time, with a consistent decline in cases. Hence, the easing of community activities must be accompanied by strict COVID-19 handling.
"Implementing strict health protocols is one of the main keys to maintaining the PPKM level in regions," Plate stated.
To this end, the government has carefully prepared plans for the opening of Bali, Batam, and Bintan. It includes the preparation of protocols upon arrival, quarantine management, and the application of strict health protocols in hotels, modes of transportation, and tourism destinations.
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"The government is also accelerating vaccination in areas that will be opened to foreign tourists," Plate noted.
In addition, the government has taken requisite precautionary measures in holding the World Superbike Championship at the Mandalika Circuit, Lombok, on November 19-21, by forming a Health Protocol Task Force for supervision at the location.
This was followed by a five-day crew and team quarantine procedure and expediting vaccination for the local community.
As a precautionary measure against the possibility of an increase in cases related to religious events and holidays, the government has made requisite preparations for handling the pandemic ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays. This includes guidelines for the implementation of religious holidays for which information will later be disbursed.
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Translator: Suryanto, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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